'Equal Pay Day' raises awareness of wage gap between men and women

ARCATA- At the Humboldt State University campus men and women brought attention to the gender pay gap between sexes.

The Humboldt State chapter of the American Association of University Women held the event. Organizers said women, on average in the U.S., make 77 percent of what men make.

The day represents the extra three months and a week women have to work in order to catch up to a man's annual salary.

"We have to work January, February and March and up to April 8th to make enough money," said Erin Sullivan, an AAUW member and professor at the university.

Sullivan said the reason the inequality happens is because women are less likely to negotiate for better pay. "Women are still, sadly today, are not taught, are not socialized to negotiate," she said.

The university plans to hold events and workshops to help educate students. "We want to arm our students, men and women, with the techniques, the training, the workshops to negotiate and stand up for themselves in the workplace."